Blow-off muffler



March 12, 1935. .1. w. SMALL Er A1. 1,993,863

BLOW-OFF MUFFLER Filed Oc't. 3, 1929 Patented Mar. 12, 193s' f 1,993,863

UNITED STATI-:s PATENT OFFICE BLOW-OFF MUFFLER I J ohn Webster Small and Aaron Grayson Dawson, Richmond, Va., and Charles Walter Burlington, Huntington, W. Va.

Application October 3, 1929, Serial No. 396,993

6-Claims. (Cl. 13T- 160) The presentA invention relates generally to muf- The invention consists in the several novel feailerslor. silencers for steam blow-off pipes. More tures hereinafter set forth and more particularly particularly the invention relates to that type of defined by the claimsat the conclusion hereof. muler which is adapted for connection to the In the drawing whichy accompanies and forms 5, bloweoffvalve of a locomotive steam engine and a part of this specication or disclosure and in isY operative. during the blow-ofi' operation, to which like numerals of reference denote corremule theexhausted steam and' to diiuse it so sponding parts throughout the several views: that therel will be no intense blast or jet which, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View if directed downwardly, would disintegrate or of a mufiler embodying the invention; 10:2 damage the subjacent roadbed. Figure 2 is a view partly in plan and partly in 10 One object of the invention is to provide a section; and muffler of' the aforesaidv type, which comprises a Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the cylindrically shaped casing and embodies coactline 3 3 of Figure 1 and illustrating the arrangeingfmuilling'elements that are arranged and conment of the discharge openings in the tubular exstructed ina novel manner and serve to effect haust member and the construction of the delo an improved-silencing` or mulling action. ilectors for directing the condensate and a por- Another object:A ofthe invention is to provide a tion of the steam through the aforesaid openings. mufller of the abovementioned character, which The invention is exemplied in a mufer which comprisesiatubular openended exhaust member is designed primarily for use in connection with 20,. that. is` formedintegrally with and projects radithe blow-oil? valve of a locomotive steam engine ally' from the cylindrically shaped casing and and is adapted to be disposed beneath the steam operates to form a laterally extending outlet duct boiler and to be connectedr to the blow-off valve for the steam. by a pipe o-r similar connecting instrumentalityr A further object of Ithefinvention is to provide 4. This muilier is formed of a One-piece Casting amufl'lerof the character,underconsideration, in and COmDrSeS a Casing 5 WhCh COIISSS Of e Cyl- 25 which the laterally or radially extending exhaust indrical side wall 6, a circular top 7 and bO- member has formed inthe. bottom thereof rows tom 8. The central portion of the top 7 is exof discharge openingsy andr embodies a plurality tended upwardly to form an inlet nipple 9. This of comparatively small deflectors which operate nipple has formed therein an internal screwto break up the: outflow of steam. through the thread 10 for connection to an external thread 30 outlet duct: and to direct the condensate and a 0n the pipe 0r connecting instrumentality 4. major portion of the steam through the discharge A Housed or contained in the casing 5 is a spreadopenings. er 11 which consists of a conical top 12 and an A1 still further object of the invention is the annular wall- 13. Said wall 13 depends from and provision of an auxiliaryk deflecting plate which is formed integrally with the marginal part of the is. securedrtofthe outer or` distal partof the extop 12. The Spreader iS DOSfiOrled beneath and haast member. and' is. bendame across the open in concentric relation with the top 7 and is held end of.l the outlet ductv to-retard'as -desired the in its Operative POSOrl by Webb` 14. There are flownfv Steam through Said duct andoperates to preferably four of the webs 14 and the latter are 402v dimm;y downwardly the steam that is not ds formed integrally with the casing and the spread- 40 chargedcthroughthe Openings in thebottom part er and-serve to space the top 12 from the casing- Of the exhaust member. top "I and thereby form a chamberA 15 into which Additionally. it is contemplated as one of the the steam ilows from the pipe 4. By virtue of the fact that the top 12 is of conical formation the obJects of the 1nvent1on to provide a muffler for r l use, in comectonvwith a ste b10w off valve steamentermg the chamber 15 through the pipe 40 Y 4 is deflected outwardly and against the upper l which 1s generally of new and improved constrllC- portionof` the cylindrical side wall 6. The annut1on and may be manufactured more readily and lar wall 13vof the spreader 11 is vspaced inwardly economically* than mumers for a" slmuar purpose from the side Wall 6 and forms with the lattera 110W- inuse 0x' heretfore proposedtubular passageway 16 into which the steam passes 50 Other objects 0f the inventionand the Various fromme chamber 15. The marginarpart of the advantages and characteristics 0f the present topmthatis the part that is joined tothe upper mufllerv construction? willA be apparent t0 those portion of the side WallA 6is curved outwards, as skilled in the art fromy a. consideration of. the at 7n in order toguide or directthel steam downfollowingrdetailedidescription. wardly` into the tubular passageway 16which-is 55l formed by the walls 6 and 13. 'he central portion of spreader 11 is hollow.

Disposed beneath the annular wall 13 is a baille ring 17. This ring is positioned substantially midway between the spreader 11 and the bottom 8 and operates to direct inwardly the steam that passes through the tubular passageway 16. The outer marginal portion of the baille ring is formed integrally with the cylindrical side wall 6 of the casing The inner marginal portion of the ring is curved upwardly, as at 18, so as to guide the steam upwardly into the hollow part of the spreader and against the under side of the top 12 for diffusing or muiiling purposes. From the hollow part of the spreader, the steam ilows downwardly through the central opening in the baille ring 17 into a compartment 19 which is formed between the ring and the bottom 8 of the casing.

The muiiler, in addition to the casing 5, comprises a tubular open ended exhaust member 20 which is formed integrally with the lower end of thecylindrical sidewall 6 and projects radially therefrom. lI'his member is rectangular in cross section and comprises a top wall 21, sides 22 and a bottom wall 23. The top Wall 21 and the bottom wall 23 are coplanar with the baille ring 17 and the bottom 8 respectively andv form with the sides 22 a laterally extending outlet duct 24 which communicates with and receives steam from 'the compartment 19. The bottom wall 23 has formed therein transverse rows of elongated discharge openings 25. These openings are staggered or relatively offset and are inclined so as to extend toward the casing 5. A portion of the steam that flows through the duct 24 is directed into the openings 25 by a plurality of deflectors 26. 'I'hese deflectors are formed integrally with the bottom wall 23 and are inclined toward the casing 5 similarly to the openings 26 in order to break up the outflow of steam through the duct 24 and guide the condensate and a portion of the steam into the openings. A characteristic and an advantage of utilizing deflectors of the type herein disclosed is that the steam is exhausted in a muffled and diffused condition, due to the fact that said deilectors operate to produce an irregular surface and effectively retard the flow of steam through the duct 24. The deflectors 26 are arranged directly above the discharge openings respectively and are coex'tensive with said openings. 'I'he side margins of the deilectors are joined to the bottom wall 23 by triangular-shaped side pieces 26a.

To retard additionally the flow of iiuid through the duct 24, a deiiecting plate 27 is provided. This plate is secured to the top wall 21 of the exhaust member and is adapted to be bent downwardly into an angular position so as to extend over the open end of the duct 24. In this position the steam is retarded and is directed downwardly upon exhaust thereof from the duct. By changing the angle of the plate relatively to the duct 24, the rate of flow of the steam may be controlled.

K Vertically extending pads 28 are formed integrally with the outer face of the cylindrical side wall 6 and operate to reinforce the casing 5 and as anchors for attaching devices, such as bolts.

l The operation of the muffler is as follows: When steam is discharged through the pipe 4, it passes downwardly into the compartment 15 and is directed outwardly by the conical formation of the spreader-top 12. From thecompartment 15 the steam travels downwardly through the tubular passageway 16 which is formed between the cylindrical side wall 6 and the annular wall 13. From the passageway 16 the steam is directed inwardly and upwardly by the baille ring 17 and then flows downwardly into the compartment 19. From said compartment 19 the steam together with any condensate that may have been formed flows laterally through the duct 24 and is discharged through the openings 25 as a result of the action of the deflectors 26. In View of the fact that the spreader and baille ring cooperate with the casing 5 to form a sinuous or serpentine conduit, the steam is effectively muflled and retarded with respect to its flow. The portion of the steam that is not deflected by the deilectors 26 flows through the open end of the exhaust member 20 and is directed downwardly by the auxiliary deflecting plate 27.

The muiiler herein disclosed has proved in practice to be extremely efficient and may be manufactured readily and economically for the reason that all of the parts with the exception of the deflecting plate 27 are integral and capable of being formed from a one-piece casting.

VAlthough the muiiler has been described for use in connection with a blow-off valve of a locomotive steam engine, it is to be understood that it may be used equally as well in other` capacities and with other fluids. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the inventionwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a blow-off mullier of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending casing comprising a substantially flat top with a fluid inlet in the central portion thereof, a cylindrical side wall and an imperforate bottom, a. conical spreader in the upper part of the casing arranged so that its apex portion underlies the inlet and the marginal portion thereof directs against the top portion of the side Wall the uid introduced into the casing through the inlet, and embodying a depending annular Wall that forms with the cylindrical side wall an annular passageway through which the fluid flows downwardly from the upper part of the casing, a baille ring disposed in the central part of the casing and joined to and projecting inwardlyfrom the side wall of the casing, said ring being flat except for the inner marginal part thereof and the latter being inclined upwardly to direct the fluid so that it flows upwardly into the space within the depending annular wall where it strikes against the bottom of the spreader and then flows downwardly through the central hole or opening in the ring into the lower part of the casing and against the casing bottom, an open-ended tubular exhaust member connected to and projecting laterally from the bottom portion of the side Wall of the casing and arranged to form an outlet duct whereby the fluid after flowing against the bottom of the casing is discharged laterally from the muflier.

2. A blow-Off muffler embodying a one-piece,

cast metal casing comprising a substantially flat top with a fluid inlet formed in the central portion thereof, a cylindrical side wall and an imperforate bottom, a conical spreader in the upper part of the casing arranged so that its apex portion underlies the inlet and the marginal portion thereof directs against the top portion of the side wall the fluid introduced into the casing through the inlet, and embodying a depending annular wall that forms with the cylindrical side wall an annular passageway through which the fluid flows downwardly from the upper part of the casing,

webs for supporting the spreader extending between and formed integrally with the depending annular wall of the spreader and the side wall of the casing and operating to divide into sections the annular passageway, a baffle ring disposed in the central part of the casing and formed integrally with the side wall of the casing, said ring being flat except for the inner marginal part thereof and the latter being inclined upwardly to direct the fluid so that it flows upwardly into the space within the depending annular wall Where it strikes against the bottom of the spreader and then flows downwardly through the central hole or opening in the ring into the lower part of the casing, and against the casing bottom, and an open-ended, tubular exhaust member of substantially rectangular cross section formed integrally with and projecting laterally from the bottom portion of the side wall of the casing and arranged so that the top and bottom walls thereof are substantially coplanar with the ring and casing bottom respectively and so as to form a lateral outlet duct whereby the fluid after flowing against the bottom of the casing is exhausted from the muilier.

3. In a blow-off muiiler of the character described, the combination of a vertically extending, one-piece, cast metal casing having a uid inlet in the upper part thereof and consisting of a top, a cylindrical side wall and an imperforate circular bottom, means in the casing operative to effect a primary muiiling of the fluid introduced through the inlet and to direct the fluid into the lower part of the casing including a substantially horizontal baille ring formed integrally with and projecting inwardly from the intermediate part of the side wall, an open-ended, tubular exhaust member of substantially rectangular cross section formed integrally with and projecting laterally from the lower part of the casing and arranged to form an outlet duct for the fluid and so that the top and bottom walls thereof are substantially coplanar with the ring and casing bottom respectively, and means for breaking up and effecting a secondary muiiiing of the fluid as it flows through the outlet duct and is discharged from the open end of the exhaust member.

4 In a blow-off muffler, of thel character described, the combination of a vertically extending casing having a fluid inlet at the upper part thereof and consisting of a top, a cylindrical side wall and an imperforate circular bottom, means in the casing operative to effect a primary muffling of the fluid introduced through the inlet and to direct the fluid into the lower part of the casing including a substantially horizontal baille ring joined to and projecting inwardly from the intermediate part of the side wall, an open-ended, tubular exhaust member of substantially rectangular cross section connected to and projecting laterally from the lower part of the casing and arranged so as to form an outlet duct for the fluid and so that the top and bottom Walls thereof are substantially coplanar with the ring and casing bottom respectively and the side walls extend substantially tangentially with respect to the casing side wall and are joined to the latter at diametrically opposite points, and means for breaking up and effecting a secondary muiiiing of the fluid as it flows through the outlet duct and is discharged from the open end of the exhaust member.

5. A blow-off muier comprising a casing adapted to extend vertically and having a fluid inlet in the upper part thereof, coacting muiiiing elements disposed in the casing and arranged to cause the fluid introduced through the inlet to travel in a sinuous path and tobe delivered into the lower part of the casing, and a tubular member connected to and projecting laterally from said lower part of the casing so as to form an outlet duct for the fluid, said member having formed therein a plurality of relatively staggered openings, said openings being inclined toward the casing and adapted to discharge the fluid in a diffused condition.

6. A blow-off muiller comprising a casing adapted to extend vertically and having a fluid inlet in the upper part thereof, coacting mufing elements disposed in the casing and arranged to cause the fluid introduced through the inlet to travel in a sinuous path and to be delivered into the lower part of the casing, and a tubular member connected to and projecting laterally from said lower part of the casing so as to form an outlet duct for the fluid, said member having formed therein a plurality of discharge openings and embodying deflectors for directing the fluid through said openings.

JOHN WEBSTER SMALL. CHARLES WALTER BUFFINGTON. AARON GRAYSON DAWSON. 

